• The chancellor George Osborne was dealt another blow on Wednesday by the sale of 4G mobile broadband spectrum, which raised £2.34 billion rather than the £3.5 billion predicted by the treasury.

The treasury is now facing a £1.2 billion shortfall as a consequence of failing to secure the expected amount, with Labour accusing Osborne of manipulating public borrowing figures by taking account of 4G spectrum money before the auction had taken place.

Network Rail was criticised this week for presiding over a service which has ‘further deteriorated’ and was ‘well adrift’ of punctuality targets.

This, despite rail passengers potentially facing six more years of above-inflation fare rises and chief executive David Higgins receiving an annual salary of half a million pounds.

Evidence of the Week:

Most British people want cannabis legalised or decriminalised and a majority of Labour and Conservative supporters want a full review of drug policy options, according to a poll by Ipsos MORI.

Almost half (45%) of mid-market newspaper readers (including readers of the Daily Mail and the Express) support the legalisation of cannabis, and 61% of Daily Mail readers want a full review of drug policy.

Like this article? Sign up to Left Foot Forward's weekday email for the latest progressive news and comment - and support campaigning journalism by making a donation today.